Co Laois: Family houses and apartments with a high standard finish go on view from plans today at the Portlaoise offices of Hume Auctioneers. Foxburrow is not officially on sale until autumn, but the agents are compiling a list of potential buyers in advance of the launch.

This development of 136 houses, under construction on Block Road off the Dublin Road, is about 1.5 miles from the town. UK-based Irish builders Boderg Developments caused a stir in Portlaoise earlier in the year when 75 units at Graigavern Lodge - its first large-scale residential scheme in Ireland - sold out within four hours of the launch commencement. Prices there started at €269,000.

Boderg acquired the Foxburrow site, which adjoins the Chantiere Gate development and is close to Portlaoise General Hospital. Construction started immediately.

Eight house designs are on offer at Foxburrow, from two to six bedrooms and specification will be good. Prices will be announced later, but are expected to be affordable for two-bed starter apartments and two and three-bedroom townhouses. Four, five and five-plus-study houses will be of interest to families trading up from the city.

Sizes will range from 74sq m (800sq ft) for a two-bedroom apartment, 84-116sq m (904-1,250sq ft) for two and three-bed townhouses, 151-236sq m (1,625-2,545sq ft) for four-bedroom houses and 221sq m (2,379sq ft) for the largest five-bed plus study houses.

The larger dormer houses will have brick facades, with 9 ft ceilings and good quality fittings, including designer kitchens and sittingrooms with wall-of-glass patio doors leading into gardens. General layout will involve a central green area with planted avenues.

The first showhouse launch at Foxburrow is planned for this autumn. Meanwhile, pre-launch enquiries are being handled at the Portlaoise offices of Hume Auctioneers. First completions are scheduled from early 2007 .